Simply put, informative writing explains an idea or process by stating the facts and illuminating it to the readers. It is often accompanied by information that sheds new light on the topic.
An example of this kind of writing is a news article, which reports the goings-on in the word, or even an article on the latest hair remover.
The one below is an example of a biographical essay on one of my favorite authors, Madeleine L'Engle.
Troubling a Star: Madeleine L’Engle Stirs the Pot
Winner of the 1963 John Newbery Medal for children’s novel, A Wrinkle in Time, and several other awards for her profound oeuvre of children’s literature, Madeleine L’Engle did not have the most auspicious of beginnings. Her father was accused to have been a drunk by relatives, she herself was considered stupid by some of her teachers, and even A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by 26 different publishers until it was accepted by Farrar, Straus & Giroux (Martin).
Madeleine L’Engle was named after her grandmother, and was born New York City on November 29, 1918, the only child of Charles Wadsworth and Madeleine Camp. She married actor Hugh Franklin in 1946, and had two children, Josephine and Bion. She graduated from Smith College cum laude (Martin).
It was through Madeleine’s novels, especially through the characters of her children’s novels, where “readers most clearly glimpsed her passionate search for answers to the questions that mattered most” (Martin). This is especially true of her Time Quintet, which catalogued the Murry family’s adventures in time and space where an epic battle is revealed, by which the ultimate question of meaning is answered. L’Engle’s works were always informed by her faith; as a devout Episcopalian, she infused a fascinating combination of science, religion, and fantasy into her works. Due to what some have found an unsettling mix, L’Engle was one of the ten most banned writers in the country (Abernethy). L’Engle’s reaction was typical of her. “Nonsense about witchcraft and fantasy. First I felt horror, then anger, and finally I said, ‘Ah, the hell with it.’ It’s great publicity, really” (Martin).
“Of course I’m Meg,” L’Engle was quoted of her protagonist of A Wrinkle in Time. An unconventional story, A Wrinkle in Time is about awkward young Meg Murry, who is a math genius but is misunderstood by her teachers. Her father has been gone for years, and Meg’s family, especially her mother, miss him. One “dark and stormy night” (L’Engle), a self-described witch shows up on the Murrys’ doorstep. With the help of her two fellow witches, they accompany Meg, her young brother Charles Wallace, and friend Calvin O’Keefe through time and space to find what happened to Meg’s father and bring him home. However, the novel is much more than what the summary would imply; it is about a cosmic battle between the Dark Thing and light, and how love is stronger than hate, and more (Martin).
Madeleine L’Engle died on March 8, 2007 at the age of 88. A Wrinkle in Time remains a classic favorite among children, especially teenaged girls, which is especially surprising because Wrinkle has been categorized in science fiction and fantasy, traditionally male-dominated realms. L’Engle’s ability to successfully mix several genres in unique ways and, at the same time, answer questions of profound importance has captivated readers since the novel was first published. A Wrinkle in Time has entered its 69th printing, selling over eight million copies (Martin), a prodigious legacy for any author.
Works Cited Martin, Douglas. “Madeleine L’Engle, Writer of Children’s Classics, Is Dead at 88.” The New York Times. September 8, 2007. Web. Accessed October 30, 2014. “Madeleine L’Engle.” Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. November 17, 2000. Web. Accessed October 31, 2014.
An example of this kind of writing is a news article, which reports the goings-on in the word, or even an article on the latest hair remover.
The one below is an example of a biographical essay on one of my favorite authors, Madeleine L'Engle.
Troubling a Star: Madeleine L’Engle Stirs the Pot
Winner of the 1963 John Newbery Medal for children’s novel, A Wrinkle in Time, and several other awards for her profound oeuvre of children’s literature, Madeleine L’Engle did not have the most auspicious of beginnings. Her father was accused to have been a drunk by relatives, she herself was considered stupid by some of her teachers, and even A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by 26 different publishers until it was accepted by Farrar, Straus & Giroux (Martin).
Madeleine L’Engle was named after her grandmother, and was born New York City on November 29, 1918, the only child of Charles Wadsworth and Madeleine Camp. She married actor Hugh Franklin in 1946, and had two children, Josephine and Bion. She graduated from Smith College cum laude (Martin).
It was through Madeleine’s novels, especially through the characters of her children’s novels, where “readers most clearly glimpsed her passionate search for answers to the questions that mattered most” (Martin). This is especially true of her Time Quintet, which catalogued the Murry family’s adventures in time and space where an epic battle is revealed, by which the ultimate question of meaning is answered. L’Engle’s works were always informed by her faith; as a devout Episcopalian, she infused a fascinating combination of science, religion, and fantasy into her works. Due to what some have found an unsettling mix, L’Engle was one of the ten most banned writers in the country (Abernethy). L’Engle’s reaction was typical of her. “Nonsense about witchcraft and fantasy. First I felt horror, then anger, and finally I said, ‘Ah, the hell with it.’ It’s great publicity, really” (Martin).
“Of course I’m Meg,” L’Engle was quoted of her protagonist of A Wrinkle in Time. An unconventional story, A Wrinkle in Time is about awkward young Meg Murry, who is a math genius but is misunderstood by her teachers. Her father has been gone for years, and Meg’s family, especially her mother, miss him. One “dark and stormy night” (L’Engle), a self-described witch shows up on the Murrys’ doorstep. With the help of her two fellow witches, they accompany Meg, her young brother Charles Wallace, and friend Calvin O’Keefe through time and space to find what happened to Meg’s father and bring him home. However, the novel is much more than what the summary would imply; it is about a cosmic battle between the Dark Thing and light, and how love is stronger than hate, and more (Martin).
Madeleine L’Engle died on March 8, 2007 at the age of 88. A Wrinkle in Time remains a classic favorite among children, especially teenaged girls, which is especially surprising because Wrinkle has been categorized in science fiction and fantasy, traditionally male-dominated realms. L’Engle’s ability to successfully mix several genres in unique ways and, at the same time, answer questions of profound importance has captivated readers since the novel was first published. A Wrinkle in Time has entered its 69th printing, selling over eight million copies (Martin), a prodigious legacy for any author.
Works Cited
Martin, Douglas. “Madeleine L’Engle, Writer of Children’s Classics, Is Dead at 88.” The New York Times. September 8, 2007. Web. Accessed October 30, 2014.
“Madeleine L’Engle.” Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. November 17, 2000. Web. Accessed October 31, 2014.